Chow Fun

This is from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines, and it's absolutely delicious. The recipe calls for beef, but you can easily substitute sliced chicken breast, shrimp, a variety of vegetables, tofu, or even, as a treat, cooked, roast duck (I've had duck chow fun in Chinatown in New York, and it was great). Time is what it takes me approximately including slicing.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Marinade

• 1  tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  egg white
• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 1  lb  flank steak, sliced thin across the grain

• Sauce Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1  pinch pepper
• 1  tablespoon oyster sauce
• 8  ounces  wide rice noodles or 8  ounces  egg noodles (approximately)
• 7  tablespoons  peanut oil, for frying
• 2  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1  slice ginger, about the size of a 25 cent piece,julienned
• 1  tablespoon fermented black beans (vital for flavor see note. dow see)
• 1  tablespoon rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1⁄2 medium onion, peeled & sliced
• 1⁄2 green pepper, cored and sliced into strips
• 1  cup  fresh bean sprouts

Directions

1. Slice the meat into thin slices (if you freeze the meat for about 1/2 hour it makes it easier to slice).
2. Mix the 4 marinade ingredients together and stir in the meat.
3. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
4. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
5. Heat a wok or large frying pan and add 2 Tbs.
6. of peanut oil.
7. Toss the noodles about in the oil until they are very hot and begin to color just a bit on the edges.
8. Remove to a serving platter and set aside.
9. Heat the wok again and add 3 more Tbs.
10. of peanut oil, along with the garlic and ginger.
11. Stir fry for a moment and add the rinsed black beans and the wine (or sherry).
12. Add and stir fry the onion and green pepper, just until very hot.
13. Remove all to the serving platter.
14. Heat the wok a 3rd time and add the remaining peanut oil.
15. When hot, add the meat.
16. Stir fry until it begins to brown, and return the vegetables and noodles to the wok.
17. Toss with the meat and then add the sauce.
18. Toss until just heated throughout.
19. Add the bean sprouts, and toss just a minute or so more, then serve.
20. NOTE: If you can't get the black beans, you can substitute a tablespoon of black bean garlic sauce, which is usually easily found in the Chinese food section of the supermarket.